Hollow ball including flexible tethering line

ABSTRACT

A flexible line is secured to a rounded anchoring element located inside a hollow ball, e.g., a tennis ball. The rounded anchoring element bears against an elongated curved base member which bears against the inside surface of the ball and conforms to the curvature thereof. The curved base member includes an integral raised portion which extends into an opening in the ball. The flexible line is knotted after being passed through the raised portion, base member and anchoring element. The width of the curved base member is substantially equal to the diameter of the opening in the ball.

United States Patent 11 1 {111 3,729,195 Hutt et al. [451 Apr. 24, 19731 HOLLOW BALL INCLUDING FLEXIBLE TETHERING LINE Inventors: Peter MurrayBruce Hutt, New Germany; Ian GavinGormley, Durban, both of Republic ofSouth Africa Assignee: Swingball Investments (Proprietary) Limited,Durban, Republic of South Africa Filed: July 19, 1971 Appl. No.: 163,746

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 857,699,Sept. 15, 1969, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Republic of South Africa.....686085Republic of South Africa. ..6924 1 8 Sept. 20, 1968 Ap. 3, 1969 US. Cl...273/58 C, 273/29 A, 43/4235 Int. Cl. ..A63b 43/02 Field of Search..273/58, 95, 26, 200,

[5 6] References Cited FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,056,983 5/1959Germany ..273/58C 597.176 5/1934 Germany ..273/58C PrimaryExaminer-George J. Marlo Attorney-Karl W. Flocks [57] ABSTRACT Aflexible line is secured to a rounded anchoring element located inside ahollow ball, 'e.g., a tennis ball. The rounded anchoring element bearsagainst an elongated curved base member which bears against the insidesurface of the ball and conforms to the curvature thereof. The curvedbase member includes an integral raised portion which extends into anopening in the ball. The flexible line is knotted after being passedthrough the raised portion, base member and anchoring element. The widthof the curved base member is substantially equal to the diameter of theopening in the ball.

4 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure HOLLOW BALL INCLUDING FLEXIBLE TETHERING LINEThis application is a continuation-in-part of applicants copendingapplication'Ser. No. 857,699 filed Sept. 15, 1969, now abandoned. I

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the attachment ofa line to a ball. I

There are many games and sporting apparatus requiring the attachment ofa line, whether the line be a cord, a length of elastic, or the like. Inmost cases, the ball used is of the tennis ball type but it will beappreciated that the invention is intended to be extended to othersuitable balls.

Previously, the attachment of the line to a ball suffered from manydisadvantages, the tearing of the ball from the attachment being themost important. In addition, many a game was spoiled by the twisting ofthe line, which also caused premature breaking of the line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention tominimize these difficulties. An attachment assembly for a line to aball, according to the invention, includes a curved base memberfollowing the inside curvature of the ball, a line, and a roundedelement, a raised formation on the base to extend through a hole in theball having an orifice to receive the line which is anchored inside theball to the rounded element behind the base member.

The width of the base may be substantially the same as the width of theraised portion so that it may be completely inserted through the hole inthe ball, and then the raised portion pulled back into the hole.Naturally, the line and the rounded element are first assembled beforeinserting the assembly through the hole.

The height of the raised portion will correspond to the thickness of theball cover.

The rounded portion may take the form of a ball or a bullet, in thelatter case, of course, the rounded portion abutting the rear of thebase member.

The base and raised portion may be and are preferably integral and maybe molded from a synthetic resinous material. The rounded element may bemade from the same material, which is so chosen that there is a minimumof friction between the rounded element and the rear of the base member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a sectional sideview of an attachment assembly according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, a ball 10 has a hole12 which snugly accommodates the raised portion 14 of an integral unitcomprising a base 16 and the raised portion 14. The width (not shown) ofthe base member is substantially the same as the diameter of the raisedportion 14.

An orifice 18 extends right through the base member to receive a line 20which also passes through a bulletshaped element 22 and is knotted orotherwise anchored thereto.

The size of the base member insures that the strain imparted to the ballthrough the tension in the line is distributed over a substantial area.The very small degree of friction and the very small area of contactbetween the rear of the base member and the rounded portion of thebullet-shaped element, insure that twisting of the line is substantiallycompletely eliminated.

The other end of the line is provided with a hook 24 or the like forattachment to a sporting apparatus or game. In a preferred form of theinvention, the hook is slidable on a spiral formation located on top ofa pole. The game is played by two persons and the object is for oneplayer to hit the ball with a racquet so that the hook moves up thespiral and off, while the other player tries, also with a racquet, toprevent this.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention and theinvention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a hollow ball with a curved inner surface andattachment means for attaching said ball to a flexible line, saidattachment means comprising a base member having a curved surface whichfollows the curvature of the inside of said ball, said curved surface ofsaid base member having a raised formation extending through a hole insaid ball, an orifice being provided in the raised formation throughwhich said line freely passes to the inside of said ball, and ananchoring element located inside said ball and adapted to bear on therear of said base member, said line being anchorable on said anchoringelement.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which the width of said basemember is substantially equal to the diameter of the hole in said ball.

3. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which said anchoring elementhas a rounded surface bearing against said base member.

4. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which said line passes throughsaid anchoring element and is knotted therebehind.

* IIK

1. In combination, a hollow ball with a curved inner surface andattachment means for attaching said ball to a flexible line, saidattachment means comprising a base member having a curved surface whichfollows the curvature of the inside of said ball, said curved surface ofsaid base member having a raised formation extending through a hole insaid ball, an orifice being provided in the raised formation throughwhich said line freely passes to the inside of said ball, and ananchoring element located inside said ball and adapted to bear on therear of said base member, said line being anchorable on said anchoringelement.
 2. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which the width ofsaid base member is substantially equal to the diameter of the hole insaid ball.
 3. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which saidanchoring element has a rounded surface bearing against said basemember.
 4. The combination claimed in claim 1, in which said line passesthrough said anchoring element and is knotted therebehind.